A Senate oversight committee has raised concerns over 15 water utility companies, which are losing Sh10.5 billion in non-revenue water due to inefficiencies.
According to a report for the financial year 2023/2024, the water companies have been breaching the law.
The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee pointed out that most water companies had registered high non-revenue water levels above the sector benchmark of 25 percent, as per the Water Services Regulatory Authority Board (WASREB) guidelines.
The report reveals that Nairobi's water utility firm has the highest non-revenue water loss, amounting to Sh8.5 billion, followed by Mombasa (Sh1 billion), Kericho (Sh199.4 million), Kwale (Sh183.3 million), Kitui (Sh110.1 million), Sibo (Sh102.7 million), Lodwar (Sh89.1 million), Bomet (Sh68.1 million), and Narok (Sh53.3 million), respectively. "Some water companies did not maintain records of the volume of water produced, as there was no master meter installed at the intake points, making it impossible to establish acceptable non-revenue water levels, despite financial statements reflecting operating revenues from the sale of water," the report stated.
